Inflammation Linked To Fatigue Among Cancer Patients

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Fighting cancer can leave patients tired to their bones and researchers now think they might know why.

Inflammation was linked to fatigue among nearly 200 women with early-stage breast cancer during and after treatment with radiation or chemotherapy, researchers reported Oct. 6 in the journal Cancer.

Specifically, inflammation appeared to promote general and physical fatigue among the women, but not emotional or mental fatigue.

“Our findings indicate that inflammation plays a role in some aspects of cancer-related fatigue, but not others, and that these effects persist well after treatment,” lead researcher Julienne Bower, chair of health psychology at UCLA, said in a news release.

“This is critical for developing targeted treatments for this common and disabling symptom,” she added.

For the study, researchers studied blood levels of proteins associated with inflammation in 192 women diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer. Blood tests were done prior to treatment, and for 18 months following treatment.

The women also reported on their different types of fatigue: General, physical, mental and emotional.

Higher levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines were linked to greater general fatigue, which involves feelings of tiredness and exhaustion, researchers found. 

This association held even after accounting for other factors like cancer stage, age, race, education and body mass index (BMI). BMI is an estimate of body fat based on height and weight.

These inflammation-controlling biochemicals also were tied to increased physical fatigue, which involved feelings of physical weakness and heaviness, results showed.

Based on these results, cancer care teams might want to investigate ways to manage patients’ inflammation, as lowering it might help them stay motivated and increase their odds of survival, researchers wrote.

“Of note, behavioral interventions that are effective in managing cancer-related fatigue, including physical activity, cognitive behavioral therapy, and mindfulness meditation, all reduce inflammation, which may contribute to their beneficial effects,” researchers concluded.

More information

Harvard Medical School has more on inflammation.

SOURCES: American Cancer Society, news release, Oct. 6, 2025; Cancer, Oct. 6, 2025

Source: HealthDay

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